This invention relates to encapsulated chip capacitors. More particularly, it relates to an encapsulated solid electrolyte chip capacitor having external terminals which serve as channels during encapsulation.
Encapsulated chip capacitors with external terminals are known. Generally, these terminals are in the form of end caps which are fitted over the ends of the unit. With very small chip capacitors, however, the alignment and connection, both electrical and mechanical, of the end caps becomes a problem. Various methods have been proposed to overcome this problem including the use of jigs, for example as taught by Sobozenski and Stupak in U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,611, issued Dec. 27, 1977, which permits semi-automation of the assembly process. Another method is the placing of the unit in a metal casing, making the electrical connections, filling the casing with encapsulating material, and finally cutting away a section of the casing. Still another method involves inserting the leads through holes in the bottom of a non-conducting U-shaped channel which serves as the package, filling the channel with encapsulating material, and finally separating the units. In two of these methods at least one lead is threaded through a hole, which becomes more difficult as the size of the unit decreases. In the other method, a groove must be cut in the case to separate it into two sections which function as terminals. This cutting or grooving becomes more difficult with small units.